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9M14 Malyutka
The 9M14 Malyutka '''(Малютка, "Little One"), NATO designation '''AT-3 Sagger, was the first Soviet-designed man-portable anti-tank missile system. The initial version was a first-generation system, using MCLOS (manual command line of sight) guidance and a rail launcher. Later variants are second-generation SACLOS (semi active command line of sight) weapons. History The Soviet Union drew up the requirements for the AT-3 based on Western missile systems of the time, of which they had acquired several samples: these included the Nord Aviation SS.10, the ENTAC, and the Swiss Cobra ATGM. Tula Arsenal and Turopov OKB were assigned to produce competing designs, with the requirements being a range no less than 3,000 meters, penetration of not less than 200mm RHA equivalent at an angle of 60°, missile weight of not more than 10 kilograms, and designs for both infantry and vehicle launchers. Vehicles using the system included the BMP-1 and BMD-1 APCs, the BRDM series of scout cars (including the 9P110 tank destroyer variant of the BRDM-1 and 9P122 and 9P133 variants of the BRDM-2, which mounted 6 rails on a pop-up 9К14М launcher concealed under an armored flap at the rear of the vehicle), and helicopters including the Mi-2, Mi-8, Mi-24 and Yugoslavian Soko Gazelles. The system proved highly effective against Israeli tanks in the early stages of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, leading to a period nicknamed the "Sagger Panic" in which the future of the tank as a concept was questioned. Some US Congressmen floated plans to retire all tanks currently in service in favor of a military consisting entirely of missile-armed lightly armored vehicles resembling Jeeps, though these plans never proceeded anywhere. Second-generation SACLOS variants of the AT-3 were developed by the Soviet Union as a stopgap while development continued on the 9M113 Konkurs (NATO: AT-5 Spandrel) and the advanced RF-guided 9M114 Shturm (NATO: AT-6 Spiral). On helicopters they served as a supplement to the 3M11/9M17 missile (NATO: AT-2 Swatter). While the Soviet Union itself never developed a SACLOS infantry variant of the AT-3 as the 9M111 Fagot (NATO: AT-4 Spigot) had already replaced it in service, several foreign infantry SACLOS clones do exist. These are mostly guided using an adapted version of the 9P135 launcher for the AT-4 and AT-5. Design Details Almost all variants of the AT-3 are wire-guided missiles using a rail launcher. This allows the system to be mounted on vehicles easily as a rail can simply be mounted over the host vehicle's main gun. In infantry use, a three-man fireteam is issued the AT-3 as a "manpack system." This has the GRAU index 9K11: the code is for one 9S415 control unit, one 9Shl6 8× magnifying, 22.5° FOV periscope sight, and two 9P111 fiberglass backpack carry case/launcher units with missiles. In addition to this, in Soviet use one of the crew would be issued an RPG-7 to engage targets closer than the missile's minimum range. A trained crew takes around five minutes to go from carrying the system to having it set up and ready to fire. One control box can be connected to up to four launchers, with a four-position selector switch allowing the operator to choose which order the missiles fire in. Only one missile can be guided at a time. The infantry MCLOS versions are controlled directly using an analog joystick on the 9S415 control box, with the operator having to steer the missile while manually keeping track of both it and the target. This is notoriously difficult to achieve against moving targets, and requires extensive operator training. Older variants can take up to 26 seconds to reach their maximum range, the slow speed of the missile making evasive action readily possible. Ammunition The 9M14 missile is the common element of the system. It is designed to break down into warhead and engine sections and fold down its single set of four fins for easier transport, and this modularity also allows the warhead to be easily swapped out. This means that advanced warheads from SACLOS variants of the system can still be employed on MCLOS missile bodies. Most variants of the missile use a hollow-charge anti-tank warhead, with later variants having standoff rods to improve performance by optimizing formation of the kinetic jet from the warhead. The most recent derivatives have tandem-charge warheads to defeat explosive reactive armor, and a couple of missile variants with thermobaric warheads have been developed for improved anti-structure performance. Propulsion is a single-stage "hot launch" with the solid-fuel rocket motor taking up most of the rear section. The missile has four vectored-thrust steering nozzles near the join between the rear section and warhead, and two main exhaust vents on the sides near the rear. The latter is because the command wire spool unfurls from the base of the missile. The missile arms almost instantly during launch and is actually capable of being controlled by the operator within 5 yards of the launcher, through the use of vectored thrust. However, the missile only brings itself within line of sight of the control station to be "captured" after flying around 550 yards (500m). Later missiles designed for vehicle use have a longer engine section which precludes them from being launched from the 9P111 carrying case. Variants 9M14 Malyutka (NATO: AT-3A Sagger A) Original MCLOS 1963 variant. 9M14M Malyutka-M (NATO: AT-3B Sagger B) 1973. MCLOS version with an improved flight motor. 9M14P Malyutka-P (NATO: AT-3C Sagger C) 1969. First SACLOS version. Improved warhead. 9M14P1 Malyutka-P1 AT-3C variant with a collapsible standoff probe added to the warhead. 9M14-2 Malyutka-2 (NATO: AT-3D Sagger D) 1992. Improved SACLOS variant, better flight motor and enhanced warhead. 9M14-2M Malyutka-2M AT-3D variant with a tandem-charge warhead. Penetration 28.3 in (720 mm) of RHA behind a layer of ERA. 9M14-2F Malyutka-2F AT-3D variant with a thermobaric warhead. 9M14-2T Malyutka-2T Serbian SACLOS variant produced by VTI, with a tandem-charge warhead. Claimed penetration 39.4 in (100 cm) of RHA behind a layer of ERA. 9M14-2T5 Malyutka-2T5 Variant of the Serbian 2T using RF guidance instead of command wires. Maliutka M2T Romanian version produced as a joint project between Electromechanica Ploiesti (ELMEC) of Romania and the Euromissile group. Uses a tandem-charge warhead from the MILAN-2T. Hongjian-73 1979. Chinese: 红箭, "Red Arrow," Chinese copy of the AT-3B. Hongjian-73B SACLOS-guided variant using a guidance system derived from the Hongjian-8 ATGM system. Can still be used in MCLOS mode with a portable launcher. Hongjian-73C Hongjian-73B variant with a standoff probe to improve hollow charge performance. SACLOS mode can now use a portable guidance unit mounted on a tripod. Hongjian-73D Improved Hongjian-73C with aerodynamic fins added to the base of the nose probe. Raad Persian: رعد‎, "thunder," Iranian AT-3B clone. I-Raad "Improved Raad." SACLOS guided variant of Raad, uses a tripod-mounted guidance unit similar to Hongjian-73C. I-Raad T "Improved Raad Tandem." Tandem-charge variant of I-Raad. POLK Slovenian copy of the AT-3C. Kun Wu 1 Taiwanese copy. Susong-Po Unlicensed North Korean copy. References Category:Missile launchers Category:Anti-tank missiles